Des Moines Register
02-10-07
Iowa Poll: Board of Regents receives weak grades
By ERIN JORDAN
REGISTER IOWA CITY BUREAU
About one in four Iowans approves of the job performance of the Iowa Board of
Regents.
A new Iowa Poll shows that 27 percent of Iowans approve of the job performance
of the board that governs Iowa's three public universities, the Iowa Braille and
Sight-saving School and the Iowa School for the Deaf.
A larger share - 37 percent - disapprove of the job the regents are doing. Thirtysix percent of people said they were unsure or undecided about the regents' job
performance.
The poll of 800 adults, taken Jan. 21-24, has a margin of error of plus or minus
3.5 percentage points.
"I don't think people, average people like me, really know what the Board of
Regents does," said Elaine Schares, 62, a retired state employee from Waterloo.
The regents received the worst marks in the 3rd Congressional District, which
includes Des Moines. There, 48 percent of adults polled said they disapproved of
the regents' job performance. In the 2nd District, which includes Iowa City and
Cedar Rapids, 43 percent disapproved.
The regents have come under criticism in the past few months for the failure of
the U of I presidential search. They voted Nov. 17 to reject four finalists for the
presidency and later disbanded the search temporarily. The action caused
student, faculty and staff groups at the university to approve resolutions of no
confidence in regents leaders.
The regents relaunched the search in December and hope to choose a new
leader by this summer.
Iowa's legislative leaders continue to hear occasional complaints about the
regents.
"There is a frustration with results at the regents' institutions," said Senate
Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs.
Iowans are concerned about rising tuition, low faculty salaries and the failed
presidential search, he said.
"People lay all of that at the feet of the Board of Regents," even though it is the
Legislature that decides how much money the regents' institutions get each year,
Gronstal said.
Senate Republican leader Mary Lundby of Marion said Republicans will be
watching Gov. Chet Culver's choices for four regent positions that will be open
this spring.
"I think he will come to us to make these decisions because he needs
Republicans for confirmation," she said.
Gary Steinke, the executive director of the Board of Regents, said he's not
surprised at the large share of people who know little about the board.
"Even with my friends, someone will say, 'You're the executive director of the
Board of Regents. What do they do?' " Steinke said.
One of the most important roles of the board is insulating the state universities
from legislative pressures to change curriculum or put more emphasis on one
program over another, Steinke said.
Universities "are very fragile, unique places. That all has to be protected from
whims and cultural shifts," he said.
The rancor over the U of I search has registered with some Iowans. Judy
Eckman, 44, of Iowa City disapproves of the regents' performance. She'd like to
see the board and campus smooth their differences.
"They all need to just get along and come together for the benefit of the
university," Eckman said.
Brian Mills, 35, of Des Moines said the regents should do more to keep college
affordable. Tuition for resident undergraduates at Iowa State University, where
Mills went to school, has more than doubled in the past 10 years from $2,766 in
1997-98 to $6,161 for 2007-08.
"The whole idea of a state university is so people can afford to have a good,
public education," Mills said. "If they keep raising tuition, it defeats the purpose."
What is the Board of Regents?
MAKEUP: The Iowa Board of Regents is a nine-person volunteer board that
governs Iowa's state universities: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University
and the University of Northern Iowa. Regents also oversee the Iowa Braille and
Sight Saving School in Vinton and the Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs.
APPOINTMENTS: Regents are appointed by the governor, subject to approval
from the Iowa Senate, for six-year staggered terms. One of the members must
be a student at one of the regents' universities. No more than five regents may
be from the same political party.
DUTIES: The board sets tuition at the state universities, selects university
presidents and superintendents at Iowa Braille and Iowa School for the Deaf,
sets compensation levels, decides rules for admission, and directs major
expenditures, among other duties.
MEETINGS: The board is required to meet four times a year, but often meets
every six weeks at locations around the state. The meetings are open to the
public.
MORE: To learn more about the Board of Regents, go to
www2.state.ia.us/regents.
Reporter Erin Jordan can be reached at (319) 351-6527 or ejordan@dmreg.com